The saga surrounding the proposed expansion of the James Musick Jail continues

The county says they need to add more bed space to accommodate the influx of prisoners that are being shifted to OC jails due to the state's inmate realignment program.

Lake Forest residents, though, are saying "not so fast", and are fighting against a proposal that would add more than 512 beds to the local detention center.

The fight has been going on for years, according to city officials, and it even once faced a push-back after the city of Irvine filed a lawsuit in hopes of preventing the Musick Jail plan from moving forward.

The fiscal breakdown

As it stands, the project has received about $100 million in grant funding from the state, and a recent analysis estimates the expansion will run about $1.3 million for start-up costs and will cost another $42 million to run each year.

Most of that, they said, will be tied to paying salaries and benefits for nearly 250 employees.

County officials say the annual operating costs will be funded by inmate realignment funds, sales tax and the Orange County general fund.

The vote on to whether to proceed or not proceed will be brought to the County Supervisors next Tuesday.  If the "yay" votes have it, Sheriff Sandra Hutchens will start contract negotiations with vendors.

Once that's done, those terms will still need to receive a final nod from elected officials.

Read the full story here:  Jail expansion could take another step forward